Heichal HaNegina

The following, Music & Angels, was posted today on Reb Moshe of Tzfat’s "I Love Torah" blog. I have included the two comments, and have added one of my own here as well.

Rabbi Tzvi Aryeh Rosenfeld taught that it is very important for a person to learn to read music, but even better to be able to play. He said that once a person leaves this world for the eternal one, they will hear the songs of the angels and many holy things which require understanding of music. Rebbe Nachman taught that through the musicians' intentions while playing a song, they can separate good from bad - both from themselves and from those listening. Lyrics and sounds which are played by those who have Yiras Shamayim [fear of Hashem], will bring the listeners to simcha [joy]; while lyrics which have bad intentions, or even by just the musician thinking sinful thoughts while he is playing, can [have a negative] impact [on] the listener.

Hila Says: When I was first becoming close to Torah, I told some families I felt like there was a time when we only sang - when it was only music. Speech came later, a downgrade of sorts. Now we have to work to upgrade the speech again! Music connects all of us. Ever notice when a niggun is really being sung, you cannot differentiate your own voice–one voice. One people with one G-d!

Reb Moshe Says: Over the years, many people have written me that they could sometimes hear the songs of the malachim, angels. This generation is not far from being able to hear, we just have to try to listen.

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Yitz adds: There are at least three niggunim that we know of, from Chassidic Rebbes, which they were said to have heard from the angels. The niggun, L’Keil Asher Shavas from the Chozeh of Lublin; the niggun Hodu LaShem Ki Tov from the Ohev Yisrael of Apta; and the wordless Hakafa niggun from Rebbe Mordechai of Chernobyl. [I believe I have blogged about all three of them!]

As Reb Moshe says, may we, too, be zoche to hear such wonderful niggunim!